The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind.[1] There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and
territories.[2][3]
Bahá'í teachings emphasize the underlying unity of the major world
religions. Religious history is seen to have unfolded through a series of divine messengers, each of whom established a religion
that was suited to the needs of the time and the capacity of the people. These messengers have included Krishna, Abraham, the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad and others, including most recently Bahá'u'lláh. In Bahá'í belief, each messenger taught of the next, and Bahá'u'lláh's
life and teachings fulfill the end-time promises of previous scriptures. Humanity is understood to be involved in a process of collective evolution,
and the need of the present time is for the gradual establishment of peace, justice and unity on a global scale.[4]
The word "Bahá’í" (pronounced /bəˈhaɪ/)[5] is used either as an adjective to refer to the Bahá'í Faith or as a term for a follower of Bahá'u'lláh,
and the word is not a noun meaning the religion as a whole. It is derived from the Arabic Bahá’, meaning "glory" or "splendour".[6] The term "Bahaism" (or "Baha'ism") has been used in the past, but is fading from use.
Three core principles establish a basis for Bahá'í teachings and doctrine: the unity of God, the unity of religion, and the unity of humankind.[3] From these postulates stems the belief that God periodically reveals his will through divine educators, whose purpose
is to transform the character of humankind and develop, within those who respond, moral and spiritual qualities. Religion
is thus seen as orderly, unified, and progressive from age to age.
The Bahá'í writings describe a single, personal, inaccessible, omniscient, omnipresent,
imperishable, and almighty God who is the creator of all things in the universe.[8][9] The existence of God and the universe is thought to be eternal, without a beginning or end.[10] Though inaccessible directly, God is nevertheless seen as conscious of creation, with a will and purpose that is expressed
through messengers termed Manifestations of God.[8][11]
Bahá'í teachings state that
God is too great for humans to fully comprehend, or to create a complete and accurate image, by themselves; human understanding
of God is through his revelation via his Manifestations of God.[12][13] In the Bahá'í religion God is often referred to by titles and attributes (e.g. the All-Powerful,
or the All-Loving), and there is a substantial emphasis on monotheism; such doctrines as the Trinity contradict the Bahá'í view that God is single and has no equal.[14] The Bahá'í teachings state that the attributes which are applied to God are used to translate Godliness
into human terms and also to help individuals concentrate on their own attributes in worshipping God to develop their potentialities
on their spiritual path.[13][12] According to the Bahá'í teachings the human purpose is to learn to know and love God through such
methods as prayer and reflection
Bahá'í notions of progressive religious
revelation result in their accepting the validity of most of the world's religions, whose founders and central figures
are seen as Manifestations of God. Religious history is interpreted as a series of dispensations, where each manifestation brings a somewhat broader and more advanced revelation, suited for the time and place in which it was expressed.[10] Specific religious social teachings (e.g. the direction of prayer, or dietary restrictions) may be revoked by a subsequent
manifestation so that a more appropriate requirement for the time and place may be established. Conversely, certain general
principles (e.g. neighbourliness, or charity) are seen to be universal and consistent. In Bahá'í belief,
this process of progressive revelation will not end; however, it is believed to be cyclical. Bahá'ís do
not expect a new manifestation of God to appear within 1000 years of Bahá'u'lláh's revelation.[15][16]
Bahá'í beliefs are sometimes described as syncretic combinations of earlier religions' beliefs.[17] Bahá'ís, however, assert that their religion is a distinct tradition with its own scriptures, teachings, laws, and history.[10][18] Its religious background in Shi'a Islam is seen as analogous to the Jewish context in which Christianity was established.[19] Bahá'ís describe their faith as an independent world religion, differing from the other traditions
in its relative age and in the appropriateness of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings to the modern context.[20] Bahá'u'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the messianic expectations of these precursor faiths.
The
Bahá'í writings state that human beings have a "rational soul", and that this provides the species with a unique capacity to recognize God's station and
humanity's relationship with its creator. Every human is seen to have a duty to recognize God through His messengers, and to conform to their teachings.[22] Through recognition and obedience, service to humanity and regular prayer and spiritual practice, the Bahá'í
writings state that the soul becomes closer to God, the spiritual ideal in Bahá'í belief. When a human dies,
the soul passes into the next world, where its spiritual development in the physical world becomes a basis for judgement and
advancement in the spiritual world. Heaven and Hell are taught to be spiritual states of nearness or distance from God that
describe relationships in this world and the next, and not physical places of reward and punishment achieved after death.[23]
The Bahá'í writings emphasize the essential equality of human
beings, and the abolition of prejudice. Humanity is seen as essentially one, though highly varied; its diversity of race and
culture are seen as worthy of appreciation and acceptance. Doctrines of racism, nationalism, caste, social class and gender-based
hierarchy are seen as artificial impediments to unity.[3] The Bahá'í teachings state that the unification of humankind is the paramount issue in the religious
and political conditions of the present world.
Shoghi Effendi, the appointed head of the religion from 1921 to 1957, wrote the following summary of what he considered
to be the distinguishing principles of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings, which, he said, together with the laws and ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas constitute the bed-rock of the Bahá'í Faith:
| “ | The independent search after truth, unfettered by superstition or tradition; the oneness of the entire human race, the pivotal principle and fundamental doctrine of the Faith; the basic unity of all religions; the
condemnation of all forms of prejudice, whether religious, racial, class or national; the harmony which must exist between religion and science; the equality of men and women, the two wings on which the bird of humankind is able to soar; the introduction
of compulsory education; the adoption of a universal auxiliary language; the abolition of the extremes of wealth and poverty; the institution of a world tribunal for the adjudication of disputes between nations; the exaltation of work, performed in the spirit of
service, to the rank of worship; the glorification of justice as the ruling principle in human society, and of religion as a bulwark
for the protection of all peoples and nations; and the establishment of a permanent and universal peace as the supreme goal of all mankind—these stand out as the essential elements [which Bahá'u'lláh
proclaimed].[ |
.Although the Bahá'í teachings have a strong emphasis on social and ethical issues, there exist a number of foundational texts that
have been described as mystical.[10] The Seven Valleys is considered Bahá'u'lláh's "greatest mystical composition." It was written to a
follower of Sufism, in the style of `Attar.[28][29] It was first translated into English in 1906, becoming one of the earliest available books of Bahá'u'lláh
to the West. The Hidden Words is another book written by Bahá'u'lláh during the same period, containing 153 short passages in
which Bahá'u'lláh claims to have taken the basic essence of certain spiritual truths and written them
in brief form.
The Bahá'í teachings
speak of both a "Greater Covenant",[31] being universal and endless, and a "Lesser Covenant", being unique to each religious dispensation. The Lesser
Covenant is viewed as an agreement between a Messenger of God and his followers and includes social practices and the continuation
of authority in the religion. At this time Bahá'ís view Bahá'u'lláh's revelation
as a binding lesser covenant for his followers; in the Bahá'í writings being firm in the covenant is considered
a virtue to work toward.[32] The Greater Covenant is viewed as a more enduring agreement between God and mankind, where a manifestation of God is
expected to come about every thousand years at times of turmoil.
With unity as an essential
teaching of the religion, Bahá'ís follow an administration they believe is divinely ordained, and therefore see attempts to create schisms and divisions as efforts
that are contrary to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. Schisms have occurred over the succession of authority,
but any Bahá'í divisions have had relatively little success and have failed to attract a sizeable following.[33] The followers of such divisions are regarded as Covenant-breakers and shunned, essentially excommunicated.
Bahá'í history
is often traced through a sequence of leaders, beginning with the Báb's May 23, 1844 declaration in Shiraz, Iran, and ultimately resting on an administrative order established by the central figures of the religion.
The tradition was mostly isolated to the Persian and Ottoman empires until after the death of Bahá'u'lláh in 1892, at which time he had followers
in thirteen countries of Asia and Africa.[35] Under the leadership of his son, `Abdu'l-Bahá, the religion gained a footing in Europe and America, and
was consolidated in Iran, where it still suffers intense persecution.[36] After the death of `Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921, the leadership of the Bahá'í community entered
a new phase, evolving from that of a single individual to an administrative order with a system of both elected bodies and
appointed individuals.
On May 23 1844 Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad
of Shiraz, Iran proclaimed that he was "the Báb" (الباب "the
Gate"), after a Shi`a religious concept.[36] His followers were therefore known as Bábís. As the Báb's teachings spread, which the Islamic clergy saw as a threat, his followers
came under increased persecution and torture.[10] The conflicts escalated in several places to military sieges by the Shah's army. The Báb himself was imprisoned and eventually executed in 1850.[38]
Bahá'ís see the Báb as the forerunner of the Bahá'í
Faith, because the Báb's writings introduced the concept of "He whom God shall make manifest", a Messianic figure whose coming, according to Bahá'ís, was announced in the
scriptures of all of the world's great religions, and whom Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í
Faith, claimed to be in 1863.[10] The Báb's tomb, located in Haifa, Israel, is an important place of pilgrimage for Bahá'ís. The remains of the Báb were brought secretly from Iran to the Holy Land and were eventually interred in the tomb built for them in a spot specifically designated
by Bahá'u'lláh.
Mírzá
Husayn `Alí Núrí was one of the early followers of the Báb, who later took the title of Bahá'u'lláh.
He was arrested and imprisoned for this involvement in 1852. Bahá'u'lláh relates that in 1853, while
incarcerated in the dungeon of the Síyáh-Chál in Tehran, he received the first intimations that he was the one anticipated by the Báb.[3]
Shortly thereafter he was expelled from Tehran to Baghdad, in the Ottoman Empire;[3] then to Constantinople (now Istanbul); and then to Adrianople (now Edirne). In 1863, at the time of his banishment from Baghdad to Constantinople, Bahá'u'lláh
declared his claim to a divine mission to his family and followers. Tensions then grew between him and Subh-i-Azal, the appointed leader of the Bábís who did not recognize Bahá'u'lláh's
claim. Throughout the rest of his life Bahá'u'lláh gained the allegiance of most of the Bábís,
who came to be known as Bahá'ís. Beginning in 1866, he began declaring his mission as a Messenger of God
in letters to the world's religious and secular rulers, including Pope Pius IX, Napoleon III, and Queen Victoria.
In 1868 Bahá'u'lláh was banished by Sultan
Abdülâziz a final time to the Ottoman penal colony of `Akká, in present-day Israel.[40] Towards the end of his life, the strict and harsh confinement was gradually relaxed, and he was allowed to live in
a home near `Akká, while still officially a prisoner of that city.[40] He died there in 1892. Bahá'ís regard his resting place at Bahjí as the Qiblih to which they turn in prayer each day. During his lifetime, Bahá'u'lláh left
a large volume of writings. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book), and the Kitáb-i-Íqán (The Book of Certitude) are recognized as major theological works, and the Hidden Words and the Seven Valleys as mystical treatises.
`Abbás Effendi
was Bahá'u'lláh's eldest son, known by the title of `Abdu'l-Bahá (Servant of Bahá).
His father left a Will that appointed `Abdu'l-Bahá as the leader of the Bahá'í community, and
designated him as the "Centre of the Covenant", "Head of the Faith", and the sole authoritative interpreter
of Bahá'u'lláh's writings.[42][39] `Abdu'l-Bahá had shared his father's long exile and imprisonment, which continued until `Abdu'l-Bahá's
own release as a result of the Young Turk Revolution in 1908. Following his release he led a life of travelling, speaking, teaching, and maintaining correspondence
with communities of believers and individuals, expounding the principles of the Bahá'í Faith.
Bahá'u'lláh's Kitáb-i-Aqdas and The Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá are foundational documents of the Bahá'í administrative order. Bahá'u'lláh established
the elected Universal House of Justice, and `Abdu'l-Bahá established the appointed hereditary Guardianship and clarified the relationship
between the two institutions.[39][43] In his Will, `Abdu'l-Bahá appointed his eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, as the first Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith.[43]
Shoghi Effendi throughout his lifetime translated Bahá'í texts; developed global plans for the expansion of the Bahá'í community; developed the
Bahá'í World Centre; carried on a voluminous correspondence with communities and individuals around the world; and built
the administrative structure of the religion, preparing the community for the election of the Universal House of Justice.[3] He died in 1957 under conditions that did not allow for a successor to be appointed.[44][45]
At local, regional, and national levels, Bahá'ís elect members
to nine-person Spiritual Assemblies, which run the affairs of the religion. There are also appointed individuals working at various levels, including locally and internationally, which perform the function of propagating
the teachings and protecting the community. The latter do not serve as clergy, which the Bahá'í Faith does not have.[10][46] The Universal House of Justice, first elected in 1963, remains the successor and supreme governing body of the Bahá'í
Faith, and its 9 members are elected every five years by the members of all National Spiritual Assemblies.[47] Any male Bahá'í, 21 years or older, is eligible to be elected to the Universal House of Justice;
all other positions are open to male and female Bahá'ís.
In 1937 Shoghi Effendi launched a seven year plan for the Bahá'ís of North America , followed by another
in 1946.[49] In 1953, he launched the first international plan, the Ten Year World Crusade. This plan included extremely ambitious goals for the expansion of Bahá'í communities
and institutions, the translation of Bahá'í texts into several new languages, and the sending of Bahá'í pioneers into previously unreached nations.[50] He announced in letters during the Ten Year Crusade that it would be followed by other plans under the direction of
the Universal House of Justice, which was elected in 1963 at the culmination of the Crusade. The House of Justice then launched
a nine year plan in 1964, and a series of subsequent multi-year plans of varying length and goals followed, guiding the direction
of the international Bahá'í community.[51]
Since 1996 the House of Justice has been directing communities to prepare for large-scale
expansion, creating new institutions and training institutes. The Bahá'ís around the world are currently
being encouraged to focus on children's classes, youth classes, devotional gatherings, and a systematic study of the religion
known as study circles.[52] The years from 2001 until 2021 represent four successive five-year plans, culminating in the centennial anniversary
of the passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá.
Monasticism is forbidden, and Bahá'ís attempt to ground their spirituality in ordinary daily
life. Performing useful work, for example, is not only required but considered a form of worship.[10] Bahá'u'lláh prohibited a mendicant and ascetic lifestyle,[70] encouraging Bahá'ís to "Be anxiously concerned" with the needs of society.[71] The importance of self-exertion and service to humanity in one's spiritual life is emphasised further in Bahá'u'lláh's
writings, where he states that work done in the spirit of service to humanity enjoys a rank equal to that of prayer and worship
in the sight of God.
Most Bahá'í
meetings occur in individuals' homes, local Bahá'í centers, or rented facilities. Worldwide, there are
currently seven Bahá'í Houses of Worship, one per continent, with an eighth under construction in Chile.[72] Bahá'í writings refer to an institution called a "Mashriqu'l-Adhkár"
(Dawning-place of the Mention of God), which is to form the center of a complex of institutions including a hospital, university,
and so on.[73] The first ever Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in `Ishqábád, Turkmenistan, has been the most complete House of Worship.
Bahá'ís continue to be persecuted in Islamic countries, especially Iran, where over 200 believers were executed between 1978 and 1998.[58] The marginalization of the Iranian Bahá'ís by current governments is rooted in historical efforts
by Shi`a clergy to persecute the religious minority. When the Báb started attracting a large following,
the clergy hoped to stop the movement from spreading by stating that its followers were enemies of God, and these led to mob
attacks and public executions.[36] Starting in the twentieth century, in addition to repression that impacted individual Bahá'ís, centrally-directed
campaigns that targeted the entire Bahá'í community and institutions were initiated.[82] In one case in Yazd in 1903 more than 100 Bahá'ís were killed.[83] Later on Bahá'í schools, such as the Tarbiyat boys' and girl's schools in Tehran, were closed
in the 1930s and '40s, Bahá'í marriages were not recognized and Bahá'í texts were censored.[82][84]
During the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, due to the growing nationalism and the economic difficulties in the country, the Shah gave up control
over certain religious affairs to the clergy of the country. This resulted in a campaign of persecution against the Bahá'ís.[85] They approved and coordinated the anti-Bahá'í campaign to incite public passion against the Bahá'ís
started in 1955 and included the spreading of anti-Bahá'í propaganda in national radio stations and official
newspapers.[82] In the late 1970s the Shah's regime, due to criticism that he was pro-Western, consistently lost legitimacy. As
the anti-Shah movement gained ground and support, revolutionary propaganda was spread that some of the Shah's advisors
were Bahá'ís.[86] Bahá'ís were portrayed as economic threats, supporters of Israel and the West and popular hatred
for the Bahá'ís increased.[82][87]
Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 Iranian Bahá'ís have regularly had their homes ransacked or been banned from
attending university or holding government jobs, and several hundred have received prison sentences for their religious beliefs,
most recently for participating in study circles.[58] Bahá'í cemeteries have been desecrated and property seized and occasionally demolished, including
the House of Mírzá Buzurg, Bahá'u'lláh's father.[36] The House of the Báb in Shiraz has been destroyed twice, and is one of three sites to which Bahá'ís perform pilgrimage.[36][88][89]
According to a US panel, attacks on Bahá'ís in Iran have increased
since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became president.[90] The United Nations Commission on Human Rights revealed an October 2005 confidential letter from Command Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Iran
to identify Bahá'ís and to monitor their activities.[91] Due to these actions, the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights stated on March 20, 2006, that she "also expresses concern that the information gained as a result
of such monitoring will be used as a basis for the increased persecution of, and discrimination against, members of the Bahá'í
faith, in violation of international standards… The Special Rapporteur is concerned that this latest development indicates
that the situation with regard to religious minorities in Iran is, in fact, deteriorating."[91] On May 14, 2008, members of an informal body known as the Friends that oversaw the needs of the Bahá'í
community in Iran were arrested and taken to Evin prison.[90][92] On 17 February 2009 IRNA news agency reported about this case that "next week, an indictment will be issued and will be
discussed in court"[93]
The Bahá'ís in Egypt have also faced hardship; on December 16, 2006 the Supreme Administrative Council of Egypt ruled the
government may not recognize the Bahá'í Faith in official identification numbers.[94] The ruling left Egyptian Bahá'ís unable to obtain government documents, including ID cards, birth,
death, marriage or divorce certificates, or passports, all of which require a person's religion to be listed. They also
could not be employed, educated, treated in hospitals or vote, among other things. On January 29, 2008 Cairo's court of
Administrative Justice, ruling on two related court cases, ruled in favour of the Bahá'ís, allowing them to obtain birth certificates and identification
documents, so long as they omit their religion on court documents,[95] however as of April 22, 2008 the Egyptian Ministry of Interior has yet to implement the ruling, and Bahá'ís
remain without identification cards.
